| Verghese Kurien | |
|---|---|
| Born | 26 November 1921 Kozhikode, Kerala, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Alma mater | Loyola College University of Madras Michigan State University |
| Occupation | Founding Chairman of Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation |
| Spouse | Molly |
| Children | Nirmala Kurien |
Verghese Kurien (born 26 November 1921 at Kozhikode, Kerala) is the founder of the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), an apex cooperative organization that manages the Amul food brand. He is recognised as the man behind the success of the Amul brand.
He is credited with being the architect of Operation Flood—the largest dairy development program in the world. Kurien helped modernise the Anand model of cooperative dairy development and thus engineered the White Revolution in India, and made India the largest milk producer in the world.
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Verghese Kurien was born on 26 November 1921. His father was a civil surgeon in Cochin. He graduated in Physics from Loyola College, Madras in 1940 and then did B.E. (Mech) from the University of Madras. After completing his degree, he joined the Tata Steel Technical Institute, Jamshedpur from where he graduated in 1946. He then went to USA on a government scholarship to earn his Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (with distinction) from Michigan State University.
Kurien belongs to the Syrian Christian community of India.[1][2] He married his neighbor's daughter Molly. Molly was a gracious host and Dr Kurien's house used to serve as a guest house in Anand for the visiting dignitaries. He has one daughter Nirmala Kurien and a grandson, Siddharth.
Kurien has since then built this organization into one of the largest and most successful institutions in India. The Amul pattern of cooperatives had been so successful, in 1965, then Prime Minister of India, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri, created the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to replicate the program on a nationwide basis citing Kurien's "extraordinary and dynamic leadership" upon naming him chairman.
Kurien also set up GCMMF in 1973 to sell the products produced by the dairies. Today GCMMF sells AMUL brand products not only in India but also overseas. He quit the post of GCMMF Chairman in 2006 following disagreements with GCMMF management.[3]
Kurien, plays a key role in many other organizations, ranging from chairing the Viksit Bharat Foundation, a body set up by the President of India to chairman of the Institute of Rural Management, Anand's (IRMA) Board of Governors in India. Kurien was mentioned by the Ashoka foundation (www.ashoka.ca) as one of the eminent present Day Social Entrepreneurs.
Kurien's life story is chronicled in his memoirs 'I too had a dream'.[4]
Kurien and his team were pioneers in inventing the process of making milk powder and condensed milk from buffalo's milk instead of cow's milk. This was the reason Amul became so successful and competed well against Nestle who only used cow milk to make powder and condensed milk. In India buffalo milk was the main raw material unlike Europe where cow milk is abundant.
India's first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru visited Anand to inaugrate AMUL "factory" and he embraced Kurien for his groundbreaking work.
| Year of Award or Honor | Name of Award or Honor | Awarding Organization |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Life Time Achievement Award | CNN-IBN |
| 2010 | Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) | Karunya University. |
| 2010 | Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) | Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. |
| 2007 | Karmaveer Puraskaar | iCONGO- Confederation of NGOs. |
| 2007 | Godfrey Phillips National Bravery Award | Godfrey Phillips India Ltd. |
| 1999 | Padma Vibhushan | President of India. |
| 1989 | World Food Prize | World Dairy Expo, USA. |
| 1986 | Wateler Peace Prize Award | Carnegie Foundation, USA. |
| 1986 | Krishi Ratna Award | President of India. |
| 1966 | Padma Bhushan | President of India. |
| 1965 | Padma Shri | President of India. |
| 1963 | Ramon Magsaysay Award | Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation. |